Estes Park to launch litter monitoring program

The Estes Park Police Auxiliary will launch a new program on May 19 to monitor compliance by residences and businesses with local trash ordinances.

Compliance with trash ordinances means a reduced likelihood of conflicts with bears and other wildlife.

Auxiliary officers will patrol businesses and residences within the entire town limits two to three times per week. The primary focus will be litter strewn by animals overnight and other targeted problem areas. If a property is found to be non-compliant officers will leave a notice on a trash receptacle or other visible area. Once a notice is received the business or property owner will have eight hours to correct the problem and should expect a follow up visit from an officer.

Estes Park Municipal Code Ordinance 9.16.070 allows for a summons or ticket to be issued if the area is not cleaned up. The ordinance states that it is unlawful to commit littering and any person who deposits, throws, or leaves any litter on any public or private property or in any waters commits littering. In the ordinance littering is defined as all rubbish, waste material, refuse, garbage, trash, debris or other foreign substances, solid or liquid, or every form, size, kind and description.

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The program was developed in part to extend the education efforts of the Estes Valley Bear Education Task Force, which was formed in the fall of 2012. The task force seeks to educate business and property owners on being bear-aware and living responsibly with wildlife. Part of those efforts include proper trash disposal and increasing pick-up schedules or switching to a bear-resistant container if necessary. The Town has begun replacement of public containers with bear-resistant versions, and has also adjusted the trash collection schedule to further reduce temptation to bears and other wildlife. Tips and resources from the Estes Valley Bear Education Task Force are available atwww.estes.org/wildlife.

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